Written Answers Monday 29 January 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much in agricultural subsidy payments has been paid to farmers in the Stirling parliamentary constituency in each year since 2003.

Ross Finnie: The total of agricultural subsidy payments in each year since 2003 are as follows:

  

Year
Amount


2003
£18,508,862.06


2004
£18,739,581.03


2005
£16,799,013.66


2006
£25,965,016.56



  The fluctuation in payments between 2005 and 2006 arises for two reasons. Firstly, payments under the Single Farm Payment Scheme, which replaced the previous eight subsidy schemes, commenced on 1 December 2005 and a significant proportion of expenditure fell into 2006. Secondly, the Single Farm Payment Scheme contained provisions to increase payments in comparison to amounts paid under the previous regime.

Alcohol Misuse

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to discourage under-age drinking in Clydesdale.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive allocates funding to Health Scotland to provide national advertising campaigns targeting under age drinking.

  The Scottish Executive also provides £500,000 for the Choices for Life Event which is targeted at all primary 7 children and gives them information about making positive and informed choices about alcohol, drugs and tobacco.

  The Scottish Executive provides funding to the alcohol and drug action teams and it is for them to decide on local action which meets the needs of their areas.

Alcohol Misuse

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to encourage retailers in Clydesdale to sell alcohol responsibly.

Lewis Macdonald: It is the responsibility of retailers across Scotland to sell alcohol responsibly and act within the law. The Scottish Executive is working with representatives of retailers as part of its partnership with the alcohol industry announced in September 2006.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive has supported the roll out of the Young Scot branded accredited Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) card so that retailers can operate a "no proof no sale" policy to help them avoid unwittingly making underage sales.

Audiology

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether extra resources will be made available to reduce the backlog of audiology appointments in NHS Lothian.

Lewis Macdonald: An additional £19.3 million funding was provided by the Executive to support the four year project of modernisation of NHS audiology services across Scotland (2003-07). A financial audit of the modernisation project was recently completed and the report includes data showing that the funds allocated, by category, to NHS Lothian are as follows:

  

Aids
£762,196


IT
£72,062


Equipment
£5,741


Facility
£473,378


Staff
£209,042


Total
£1,522,419



  Recurring funding of £5 million is allocated to NHS boards on an Arbuthnott basis and ring-fenced for 2006-07 and 2007-08. Lothian’s allocation for 2006-07 was £365,713. In future years this will become part of each NHS board’s general allocation. It is a matter for boards to meet the needs of their patients and this should include ensuring that waiting times targets for audiology services are met.

Care of Elderly People

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the evaluation and review of free personal care.

Lewis Macdonald: We plan to publish the report at the end of February.

Civil Servants

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether people remaining in Scotland through the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland visa scheme are eligible for employment in the civil service.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed the nationality criteria for employment within the Executive at any time since 1999 and whether it has any plans to conduct such a review in the future.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include people remaining in Scotland under the Fresh Talent initiative among those eligible for employment within the Executive.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it excludes people from employment in the civil service who are not from the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area or who are not Commonwealth citizens, British protected persons or citizens of British dependent territories.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the exclusion of people from employment in the civil service who are not from the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area or who are not Commonwealth citizens, British protected persons or citizens of British dependent territories complies with the Executive’s obligations under European human rights law, as well as under equal opportunities and discrimination legislation.

Mr Tom McCabe: Many people remaining in Scotland through the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme meet the eligibility requirements for direct employment in the Civil Service. These requirements are outlined in the Civil Service Nationality Rules, which are a reserved matter.

  These rules permit, for example, the employment of Commonwealth and Irish citizens, British Protected Persons and nationals of EU member states, who are exempt from the statutory prohibition on the employment of foreign nationals. Full details of restrictions and exemptions can be accessed at the following website: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/careers/nationality rules/publications/pdf/annexa.pdf

  People remaining in Scotland through the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme who do not meet the eligibility requirements of the rules are therefore not eligible for direct employment in the Civil Service. However, those with suitable skills and qualifications may be employed in other capacities, for example through an employment agency or as a temporary contractor or consultant.

Dentistry

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the number of adults registered with NHS dentists in the East Kilbride constituency has fallen between 2005 and 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: General dental practitioners are independent contractors who are free to choose whether to join the dental list of an NHS board and whether to provide NHS dental treatment to each individual patient. Patient registrations can be withdrawn for a number of reasons including the dentist moving to another area or retiring, non-payment of charges by the patient, the patient allowing their registration to lapse, or entry into a private arrangement.

Dentistry

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dental practices there have been in the East Kilbride constituency in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  Number of NHS Dental Practices in East Kilbride Parliamentary Constituency1; at 31 March

  

Year
No. of Practices


2002
16


2003
15


2004
15


2005
15


2006
16



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: 1. The number of dental practices with a postcode in the East Kilbride parliamentary constituency, where there was at least one dentist providing NHS general dental services at 31 March.

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sites of special scientific interest on land in its ownership, or in the ownership of any body accountable to Scottish ministers, have been damaged in the last five years for which figures are available, also indicating in each case of damage who owns the land, the agency responsible for the site and the action being taken to restore the affected area.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has reported that in the last five years they have recorded one instance of significant damage to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on land owned by the Scottish Executive or any body accountable to Scottish ministers.

  The damage occurred on the Balerno Common SSSI on land owned by Scottish Water and resulted from the drawing down of the reservoir to undertake necessary maintenance work. SNH has advised that although efforts were made to restore the water level, the problem was exacerbated by unseasonably low rainfall. Action is underway to prevent a similar situation arising in future.

  The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 requires public bodies and office holders to consider the impacts of any and all their activities on the protected natural features of SSSIs.

  Under section 12 of the act, public bodies and office holders must consult SNH in relation to the exercise of any function is so far as it affects any land which is or forms part of an SSSI.

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the occasions, since 2000, on which damage has been caused to a site of special scientific interest by (a) a local authority, (b) a non-departmental public body, (c) Scottish Water and (d) any other statutory body or contractors acting on behalf of such bodies, also indicating in each case the agency concerned and any remedial action undertaken.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage has advised that there are three Sites of Special Scientific Interest where damage has occurred due to the actions of statutory bodies. The details are as follows:

  

Year of Damage
Site Name
Damage Caused by
Remedial Action Undertaken


2000-01 
Durness
NoSWA (pre establishment of Scottish Water)
SNH met with utility contractor and sent letter. Managed recovery likely in the long term.


2002-03
Balerno Common
Scottish Water
SNH met landowner. Issue partly due to natural factors, action is underway to prevent future damage.


2004-05 
Clauchlands Point - Corrygills
Scottish Water (Solutions)
SNH contacted contractor. Matter reported to the police.

Fireworks

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions there have been in each of the last two years for (a) illegal purchase of fireworks, (b) illegal use of fireworks and (c) use of fireworks as a weapon likely to cause human harm, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. Information in relation to other offences which involved the use of fireworks as a weapon is not currently identifiable within the available statistics.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Fireworks Offences1, by Police Force Area, 2003-04 to 2004-05

  

Police Force Area
2003-04
2004-05


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 


Sale of fireworks to under 18s 
1
-


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
-
1


Grampian
 
 


Illegal use of fireworks 
-
1


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
2
-


Lothian and Borders
 
 


Illegal use of fireworks 
-
2


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
1
-


Northern 
 
 


Sale of fireworks to under 18s 
1
-


Strathclyde 
 
 


Sale of fireworks to under 18s 
3
2


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
14
4


Tayside 
 
 


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
4
2


Scotland
 
 


Sale of fireworks to under 18s 
5
2


Illegal use of fireworks 
-
3


Throwing fireworks in thoroughfare
21
7



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the circumstances in which rainbow trout may be introduced to inland waters are regulated and may be further regulated under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill or any other proposed freshwater fisheries legislation.

Sarah Boyack: Movements of rainbow trout to and from aquaculture facilities are subject to the provisions of the Diseases of Fish Acts 1937 and 1983.

  The Import of Live Fish (Scotland) act 1978 requires that species of fish specified in subordinate legislation made under that act may only be introduced where permission has been given by the Scottish ministers.

  Although rainbow trout are not native to Scotland, waters have been stocked with these fish for angling purposes since the mid-19th century. Given this long-established practice, rainbow trout have not been specified under any Statutory Instrument made under the 1978 act.

  In recent years, many more fisheries have been established, and there continues to be growth in this sector. To address this expansion, and any possible impacts that stocking with rainbow trout may have, the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill makes provision for a more effective system that will allow for regulation of such movements, but with a minimal impact on businesses. In addition, the bill brings in regulations to ensure that fish farms, including freshwater trout farms, have satisfactory measures in place for the containment of fish and to prevent the escape of fish.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether rainbow trout is considered to be a native species; whether rainbow trout pose any threat to other native species, and what criteria are applied to determine native species.

Sarah Boyack: For a species to be truly native, it should have reached and established in an area by natural means. Despite having been established in Scotland since the 19th century, it has not established any self-sustaining populations, and relies for its presence on artificial rearing and stocking. For these reasons, the rainbow trout cannot be described as a native species in the United Kingdom. The rainbow trout is native to rivers in North America and Russia that flow into the Pacific Ocean.

  Rainbow trout can pose threats to other native species. They may predate on smaller native fish, compete with native fish for food and space. Unregulated introductions pose the threat of introducing diseases, parasites or other species that may be transported with the trout.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the weed known as ranunculus poses a threat to native species in the River Spey and other rivers and whether there are any plans to eradicate, or reduce the impact of, this weed and, if so, whether it will give details of such plans.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage has advised that the spread of river water-crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans) in the Spey may be having some impact on freshwater pearl mussel and Atlantic salmon but that the extent of the threat which this represents for the integrity of these species is not clear.

  I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be meeting with the Spey Fishery Board in the near future to discuss the matter and possible actions for the management of the situation.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the figures have been for delayed discharge in each NHS board since 1999, broken down by hospital.

Lewis Macdonald: A table recording the number of patients ready for discharge in each NHS board since the first census in April 2001 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41472).

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the year-on-year improvements have been in (a) coronary heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) stroke mortality rates in (i) the NHS Forth Valley area and (ii) Scotland since 1990.

George Lyon: The information requested is given in the following table. Index numbers (1990 = 100) have been included to aid the consideration of year-on-year improvements.

  Selected Mortality Rates, per 100,000 Population, 1990-2005

  

 
(a) Coronary Heart Disease1
(b) Cancer2
(c) Stroke3


Rate4
Index5
Rate4
Index5
Rate4
Index5


(i) Forth Valley NHS Board area


1990
259
100
227
100
125
100


1991
257
99
233
103
108
86


1992
266
103
219
97
118
94


1993
247
96
235
104
123
98


1994
226
87
234
103
122
97


1995
213
82
211
93
104
83


1996
203
78
231
102
103
82


1997
180
70
208
92
93
74


1998
166
64
211
93
94
75


1999
179
69
222
98
94
75


2000
157
61
218
96
95
76


2001
151
58
214
94
98
78


2002
161
62
219
97
83
66


2003
147
57
228
100
88
70


2004
137
53
213
94
74
59


2005
145
56
201
89
77
61


(ii) Scotland


1990
257
100
239
100
113
100


1991
253
98
237
104
111
88


1992
245
95
238
105
107
86


1993
249
96
242
107
114
91


1994
222
86
237
104
104
83


1995
216
83
235
104
103
82


1996
209
81
233
103
93
74


1997
198
77
226
100
91
72


1998
188
73
222
98
89
71


1999
185
71
221
97
86
69


2000
170
66
219
97
85
68


2001
159
62
221
98
82
65


2002
155
60
217
96
82
65


2003
150
58
215
95
79
63


2004
139
54
211
93
74
59


2005
132
51
210
93
68
54



  Notes:

  1. Ischaemic heart disease: 1990-1999 ICD9 codes 410-414, 2000-2005 ICD10 codes I20-I25.

  2. Malignant neoplasms: 1990-1999 ICD9 codes 140-208, 2000-2005 ICD10 codes C00-C97.

  3. Cerebrovascular disease: 1990-1999 ICD9 codes 430-438, 2000-2005 ICD10 codes I60-I69.

  4. Standardised mortality rates, all ages, per 100,000 population.

  5. Index: 1990 = 100.

Housing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with Inverclyde Council and River Clyde Homes anent the implementation and consequences of the council housing stock transfer and what initial sum of money is to be given to the housing association.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Following the announcement of the successful Inverclyde Stock Transfer ballot result on 1 December 2006, Inverclyde Council, River Clyde Homes and Communities Scotland have been meeting regularly and at various levels to progress the transfer of the houses to the new landlord as quickly as possible. The target date for transfer is 1 October 2007. The actual subsidy to be paid to River Clyde Homes will reflect the requirements of its final business plan as assessed and appraised by Inverclyde Council and Communities Scotland.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been since 1996 for (a) the murder of a child or young person under 18, (b) the manslaughter of a child or young person under 18, (c) common assault and battery and (d) cruelty to a person under 16 where the prosecuted person had parental responsibility for the victim or was the partner of the person with parental responsibility, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information in relation to accused persons in homicides where the victim was aged under 18 is given in the following table. Information on victim characteristics and on the relationship between victim and accused are not included in the available statistics on persons proceeded against for assault on or cruelty to children.

  Accused persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for homicides1 involving a victim aged under 18, 1996-97 to 2005-06

  

Year
Number


1996-97
12


1997-98
14


1998-99
5


1999-2000
12


2000-01
15


2001-02
12


2002-03
19


2003-04
10


2004-05
8


2005-06
4



  Note: 1. Currently (as at 8 November 2006) recorded as homicide.

NHS 24

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls to NHS 24 have been abandoned because of a slow response time in each year since its inception.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS 24 rolled out across Scotland from May 2002 to November 2004. The call figures listed in the following table therefore relate to partial coverage of Scotland until November 2004. The abandoned calls figures is measured by collecting data on the number of calls that are abandoned after the threshold of 30 seconds following the end of the welcome message.

  It is not possible to tell how many callers abandoned their calls because of a slow response time and there could be a number of reasons for their decision to hang up.

  In November 2006, the last available reporting date, 99.9% of calls to NHS 24 were answered within 30 seconds with the average time to answer three seconds and number of calls abandoned after threshold was six in total (0.01%).

  

 
Call Demand
Number of Calls Abandoned After the Threshold
Percentage of Calls Abandoned After the Threshold


08-05-02 to 31-03-03
224,548
1,052
0.47%*


01-04-03 to 31-03-04
644,747
1,920
0.30%*


01-04-04 to 31-03-05
1,353,533
75,309
5.56%*


01-04-05 to 31-03-06
1,509,387
23,895
1.58%


01-04-06 to 30-11-06
914,923
1,920
0.21%



  Notes:

  # Information provided by NHS 24

  *Until 2005, NHS 24 used a different formula to calculate calls abandoned, therefore the figures reported at the time are different to those shown in the table. The 2002-05 figures have been calculated using the new formula, which was introduced in April 2005, so that they can be compared against the more recent performance.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital was raised by the Wishaw General Hospital PFI consortium to deliver that project, broken down into (a) equity, (b) subordinated debt and (c) senior debt.

Mr Andy Kerr: The capital raised by the Wishaw General Hospital PFI consortium to deliver the project was as follows:

  

 
(£ Million)


Senior Debt
135.555


Subordinated Debt
11.759


Equity
0.100


Total
147.414

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital was raised by the Hairmyres Hospital PFI consortium to deliver that project, broken down into (a) equity, (b) subordinated debt and (c) senior debt.

Mr Andy Kerr: The capital raised by the Hairmyres Hospital PFI consortium to deliver the project was as follows:

  

 
£000


Senior Debt
74,473.3


Subordinated Debt
8,400.0


Equity
0.1


Total
82.8734

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the equity providers were for the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project.

Mr Andy Kerr: The equity providers for the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project at financial close were as follows:

  Sir Robert MacAlpine and,

  Uberior Infrastructure Investors Limited

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the equity providers were for the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project.

Mr Andy Kerr: The original equity providers were Innisfree Partners Limited as general partner of the Innisfree PFI Fund (50%) and Kier Limited (50%).

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any equity shares in the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project have changed hands since financial close.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since financial close of the Wishaw General hospital PFI project there has been an equity transfer from Sir Robert McAlpine to Lanterndew Limited.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any equity shares in the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project have changed hands since financial close.

Mr Andy Kerr: The equity shares have changed hands since financial close. The current equity shareholders are Innisfree Nominees Limited as custodian of the partnership assets of Innisfree M&G PPP LP (50%) and Kier Project Investment Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Kier Limited) (50%).

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what annual payments are to be made to the Wishaw General Hospital PFI consortium over the contract term and how these changed as a result of the refinancing.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the net present value and cash value of the cash flow to Wishaw General Hospital PFI project consortium shareholders over the contract term.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the base internal rate of return to the Wishaw General Hospital PFI consortium.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the net present value and cash value gains of the refinancing of the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project are to (a) the private sector and (b) NHS Lanarkshire and, in respect of NHS Lanarkshire, in what form these gains have been made, such as reductions in annual payments or reduced parking charges.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the refinancing gain arising from the refinancing of the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project has been retained by the private sector to compensate for a lower rate of return than that expected at bidding stage.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project has changed the contract length from financial close and, if so, what the change has been.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project resulted in any change in risk allocation and termination liabilities and, if so, how the additional risks have been priced.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the estimated annual payments to be made to the Wishaw General Hospital PFI consortium over the current contract period.

  

Year
Amount
  (£ Million)
Year
Amount
  (£ Million)
Year
Amount
  (£ Million)
Year
Amount
(£ Million)


2004-05
22.5
2011-12
25.3
2018-19
28.3
2025-26
31.5


2005-06
23.1
2012-13
25.7
2019-20
28.7
2026-27
32.0


2006-07
23.4
2013-14
26.1
2020-21
29.2
2027-28
32.5


2007-08
23.8
2014-15
26.6
2021-22
29.6
2028-29
33.0


2008-09
24.2
2015-16
27.0
2022-23
30.1
2029-30
33.5


2009-10
24.6
2016-17
27.4
2023-24
30.6
2030-31
34.1


2010-11
25.0
2017-18
27.8
2024-25
31.0
2031-32
5.8



  The Wishaw General Hospital PFI Project has not been subject to refinancing.

  Had the hospital been procured by a traditional procurement route additional annual costs would be incurred including capital charges and costs for the provision of hard and soft FM services.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what annual payments are to be made to the Hairmyres Hospital PFI consortium over the contract term and how these changed as a result of the refinancing.

Mr Andy Kerr: The original total costs (uninflated) over the life of the contract were approximately £428 million. These costs reduce by around £10 million to £418 million as a result of re-financing.

  These costs include the provision of hard and soft FM services over the life of the contract.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of NHS Lanarkshire’s income the annual charge arising from the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project represents and how that has changed as a result of the refinancing.

Mr Andy Kerr: The current annual spend on the Wishaw Contract is approx. £22.4 million. NHS Lanarkshire’s annual income is £860 million and the annual spend on Wishaw equates to 2.6% of this income. As the contract has not been refinanced this has not changed.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of NHS Lanarkshire’s income the annual charge arising from the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project represents and how that has changed as a result of the refinancing.

Mr Andy Kerr: The current annual charge for Hairmyres is £16.4 million after accounting for re-financing gain of £440,000 and the annual inflation uplifts since the hospital opened. NHS Lanarkshire’s current year income is £860 million and therefore the Hairmyres costs represent 1.9% of this. The impact of re-financing is a reduction of 0.05%.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the net present value and cash value of the cash flow to Hairmyres Hospital PFI project consortium shareholders over the contract term.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) percentage capital growth and (b) total capital gain has been on investors’ investment in the Wishaw General Hospital PFI project.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) percentage capital growth and (b) total capital gain has been on investors’ investment in the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the base internal rate of return to the Hairmyres Hospital PFI consortium.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is as contained in the following tables:

  

Original Financing
 


Nominal 
19.55%


Real
16.05%



  

Refinancing Model
 


Nominal 
18.61%


Real
16.13%

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the net present value and cash value gains of the refinancing of the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project are to (a) the private sector and (b) NHS Lanarkshire and, in respect of NHS Lanarkshire, in what form these gains have been made, such as reductions in annual payments or reduced parking charges.

Mr Andy Kerr: The refinancing of Hairmyres Hospital in August 2004 provided an opportunity for both Prospect and NHS Lanarkshire to work in partnership and capture the considerable benefits from the reduced risks inherent in the project following the successful completion of construction and the experience gained of operating the hospital.

  NHS Lanarkshire took its share of the gain as a reduction in its annual unitary charge payment of £419,000 per annum in 2004 prices over 26.75 years. At the time of refinancing the NPV of NHS Lanarkshire’s share of the gain was calculated as £2.735 million.

  The consortium made a capital gain on the refinancing in August 2004 of £16.7 million. Information is not held on the basis that this was extracted.

  The refinancing provides substantial financial gain for NHSL and was undertaken in line with the Code of Conduct issued by the Office of Government Commerce in July 2002. Partnerships UK Refinancing Task Force confirmed the business case complied with the terms of the Code.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the refinancing gain arising from the refinancing of the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project has been retained by the private sector to compensate for a lower rate of return than that expected at bidding stage.

Mr Andy Kerr: None of the refinancing gain has been retained by the private sector to compensate for a lower rate of return than that expected at bidding stage.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project has changed the contract length from financial close and, if so, what the change has been.

Mr Andy Kerr: The refinancing has not changed the length of the contract from that at financial close.

NHS Hospitals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Hairmyres Hospital PFI project resulted in any change in risk allocation and termination liabilities and, if so, how the additional risks have been priced.

Mr Andy Kerr: The refinancing of Hairmyres Hospital in August 2004 provided an opportunity for both Prospect and NHS Lanarkshire to work in partnership and capture the considerable benefits from the reduced risks inherent in the project following the successful completion of construction and the experience gained of operating the hospital.

  There are three distinct categories of termination. These are client default/voluntary termination, force majeure; and contractor default.

  Under each of these, there are defined liabilities that the board is contracted to pay in the event the Concession Agreement terminates. The contractual definition of these liabilities did not change post refinancing. The first of these is considered to be within NHS Lanarkshire’s control. The second is essentially outwith either NHS Lanarkshire’s or the contractor’s control. Based on Prospect’s (the contractor), and their bankers’ commitment to the project and the due diligence undertaken by the bankers in agreeing the refinancing, the probability of default by the contractor was considered to be low.

  The potential termination liabilities under these scenarios were subjected to a detailed value for money analysis and scenario modelling which focused on the trade off between a potential increase in liabilities and NHS Lanarkshire’s share of refinancing gain. This analysis suggested that there needs to be a high probability of contractor default before the VFM was eroded. Whilst there were some consequential changes to the termination sums under contractor default, the termination sum payable under such a default scenario is expected to be lower than had the refinancing not taken place.

  The refinancing agreement increased the amount of borrowing by £20.4 million and the total debt is repaid over a longer time period. However, the actual sum paid at termination would be determined by the actual date of termination.

  The refinancing provided substantial financial gain for NHS Lanarkshire and was undertaken in line with the Code of Conduct issued by the Office of Government Commerce in July 2002. Partnerships UK (PUK) Refinancing Task Force confirmed the business case complied with the terms of the code.

Ophthalmic Services

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the uptake and effectiveness of universal free eye examinations.

Lewis Macdonald: A range of information is being collected on the new NHS eye examination which will allow us to monitor both uptake and effectiveness. Initial analysis indicates that around 729,360 NHS eye examinations were undertaken between 1 April and 30 September 2006 compared with 481,623 in the same period in the previous year. Further monitoring measures are also being considered.

Ophthalmic Services

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will advertise the availability of free eye examinations to vulnerable groups such as elderly people, those in deprived areas or those with medical conditions that can cause eye problems.

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will publicise the fact that the free eye examination is concerned with assessing eye health and not merely the need for glasses.

Lewis Macdonald: We are currently working with Health Rights Information Scotland to produce a leaflet advising patients of the new NHS eye examination. It is intended that this leaflet will be made available through a number of sources.

Ophthalmic Services

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in increasing the range of services provided by optometrists, in line with the Kerr report principle that care should be provided where possible in the patient’s own locality.

Lewis Macdonald: The new NHS eye examination which was introduced in April 2006 allows for the management of a wide range of common conditions in the community and promotes optometrists/ophthalmic medical practitioners as the first point of contact for eye problems. The new NHS eye examination was introduced as part of a wider review of community eyecare services in Scotland which was commissioned in 2004.

  The aim of the review is to encourage the development of integrated eyecare services to ensure patients receive a good quality and efficient service, in a convenient setting without undue wait. I launched the final report of the Review of Community Eyecare Services in Scotland on 14 December 2006. The report emphasises the important role of the community optometrist/ophthalmic medical practitioner in local eyecare networks.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many murders were committed by criminals out of prison on licence in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Cathy Jamieson: The numbers of offenders convicted of murder committed whilst on licence is as follows:

  

Year
Number of Murders Committed by those on Licence


2001
1


2002
None


2003
2


2004
None


2005
2



  The offenders in question were released subject to the provisions of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993. They had all been sentenced to four years or more. Offenders sentenced to terms four years or more are eligible to be released on parole licence at the direction of the Parole Board after serving one half of the sentence and will be released on licence at the two thirds stage of sentence.

  The Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes to end the current system of unconditional early release and replace it with a system based on an individual assessment of risk. There will be no change to the current law covering the treatment of life sentence prisoners.

Renewable Energy

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received from fishermen’s organisations and other interested parties anent the proposed siteing of offshore wind farms.

Allan Wilson: In determining applications for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in respect of offshore wind farms, Scottish ministers would consult widely inviting representations from statutory bodies and other interested parties including fishermen’s and other organisations.

  The Scottish Executive has not received any recent applications for consent of any proposed offshore wind farm development, consequently no recent consultations have taken place.

  However, the Executive received a request from AMEC Wind Energy for advice on the preparation of an Environmental Statement for the Aberdeen Offshore Project which is at pre-application stage. In order to produce this advice, we consulted local planning authorities, statutory bodies and other interested parties including organisations with an interest in navigation and maritime safety issues.

  Further, we will be conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for offshore wind this year. This SEA will examine how we can develop our offshore wind potential sustainably and site offshore wind farms while minimising impacts on the environment and existing users of the coastal area. As part of this process we will be contacting all relevant stakeholders, including fisherman’s organisations in the marine environment for their views.

Suicide

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered farmers or agricultural workers have committed suicide in each year since 1999.

Ross Finnie: The number of suicides in farmers and farm workers from 1999 to 2005 (latest available year) is shown in the following table.

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Intentional self-harm (suicides)
13
10
7
11
3
11
3


Events of undetermined intent*
1
6
3
6
2
4
2


Total
14
16
10
17
5
15
5



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland.

  Note: *Deaths classified as "Events of undetermined intent" are included as it is believed that the majority of these are probable suicides.

Wildlife

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30108 by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006, whether it considers that the Scottish Red Squirrel Action Plan would be more effectively executed if directed by an individual with specific responsibility for its implementation.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Squirrel Action Plan was prepared by a Working Group comprising Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive. Successful implementation of the plan will call for a similar level of co-operation and partnership working between these bodies who have the lead responsibility as well as others with an interest. I do not think that the appointment of a single individual to direct implementation of the plan would enhance the partnership approach that is required.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Accommodation

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, whether it has any indication of what the energy efficiency rating of the Parliament might be under the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC) now that the Scottish Executive has adopted the use of the asset-based energy rating methodology, Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM), as the principle non-domestic method for assessment of energy rating for non-domestic buildings.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Building Standards Agency has issued the 2007 Technical Handbook, which will come into force on 1 May 2007. The handbook specifies that the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) is the methodology which is to be used to assess the energy rating of non-domestic buildings. Once the agency finalises the model for use in Scotland by 1 May 2007, we will commence work to calculate the rating for the Parliament building.

Parliamentary Accommodation

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what preparations have been made regarding compliance with Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (92002/91/EC) in respect of the Parliament building.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer to my answer to question S2W-31152 for information on how compliance to article 7, regarding the calculation of the building's energy rating, will be achieved at the Parliament. As to Articles 8 and 9, on inspection of boilers and air conditioning plant respectively, the Scottish Buildings Standards Agency has not confirmed the implementation requirements for organisations. When it does so, we shall integrate these requirements into our environmental management system, which is the mechanism used to ensure on-going compliance with any new environmental requirements.